This invention relates to high power laser systems of the type which, typically, operate at over 500 watts and up to several hundreds of Joules that have optical fiber assemblies which are constructed of several individual pieces in order to form a quick connection/disconnection. Such structures of the type, as described more completed in the following description of the invention, generally allow a laser/fiber user to quickly interface injection input and fiber output couplers while providing "snap in" optical alignment. In particular, an optical fiber for use in a power laser is secured to a quick connect/disconnect main body and the main body is inserted into a quick connect/disconnect main body receiver such that the main body is "locked" into the receiver. The receiver, typically, is connected to a fiber input or output coupler. This invention, particularly, relates to certain unique optical fiber connections for a power laser and the connection/disconnection means in association therewith.
Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it was known, in lower power communication systems and high power laser transmission systems, to make use of optical fiber holders. Exemplary of the low power communication type fiber holders are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,810; 4,753,521; and 4,718,744, respectively entitles "Optical Fiber Holders", "Lens System for Focusing a Divergent Laser Beam", and "Collimating Lens an Holder For An optical Fiber" which disclose fiber holders that, typically, require potting or adhering of the optical fiber into ceramic, metallic or plastic ferrules. While these systems adequately hold the optical fiber, these systems, typically, do not allow for high power laser beam injection or do they quickly disconnect without mechanically loosening the fastening devices, usually set screws. Also, the "potting" of the fiber does not efficiently lend itself to field repair, in that the fiber becomes permanently bonded to the older and cannot be readily removed from the holder if the fiber is damaged. Finally, the fiber optic connectors developed for low power applications usually cannot be employed in high power applications because the higher power can adversely affect and can be severely damaged due to the burning of the mechanical means of the low power fiber connector.
Also, high power laser transmission fiber systems, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,707,073 and 4,732,450, typically, do not quickly disconnect without mechanically loosening the fastening device, usually, set screws, and, also, require the fiber to be "potted" in place. Other high power fiber holders such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,627, 4,868,361, and 4,958,900 respectively entitled "Optical Fiber Holder", "Coupling Device For High Power Laser Transmitting Optical Fibers", and "Multi-Fiber Holder For Output Coupler and Methods Using Same" and all assigned to the same company, namely the General Electric Company, as the present invention, described fiber holders using a groove however do not describe or teach quick connectors/disconnectors. For example, if the fiber is potted in place and an inadvertent torsional stress is placed on the holder, this stress may be transferred to the fiber and may adversely affect the mechanical and optical transmission characteristics of the fiber. Consequently, a more advantageous optical fiber disconnect system, then, would be presented if such amounts of mechanical loosening could be reduced while still employing a high power laser transmission system.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a high power laser optical fiber connect/disconnect system which will adequately hold the fiber, and which at least equals the transmission characteristic of known fiber holding systems, but which at the same time allows for the fiber to be quickly and easily connected/disconnected to or from the input or output coupler. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan, once given the following disclosure.